Joel's swallow study and feeding evaluation

Joel had a swallow study and feeding evaluation on Monday afternoon. They didn't see any aspirating during the X-ray filming of him swallowing in the hospital. Across the street in the therapist's office, the same therapist watched him eat several types of foods. The results: Joel eats at the developmental level of a 12 to 15 month old. He doesn't move the food around well in his mouth or chew well before swallowing. This explains why he seems to be such a "picky" eater. Because he chooses to eat foods he can manage easily. Applesauce over fresh fruit, toast over fresh gummy bread, mac & cheese and cottage cheese over just about everything else, and prefers prechopped and formed chicken nuggets over regular meats, etc.

I wondered, could this be because of his recently injured tongue? But upon contemplating, I recognize that Joel has always chewed this way. Either way, it's now a fact.

She also said that the reason that Joel prefers salty or slightly spicey foods to sweet foods is because salty/spicey foods give the mouth more information and sweet foods make more saliva, possibly causing him more trouble to manage it.

She said it's possible that he's still refluxing because his rattly breathing can be an indicator of that. He does sound better lately... although it's always a very minor part of the year that he sounds clear.

We were instructed to fork mash his fruits and vegetables and offer them to him like we would to a baby to get him to try new things. Or break pieces of foods up that he won't normally eat and place them in front of him one piece at a time, asking him to pick the piece up and eat it. He cooperated for her, watching himself and making faces in the mirror. I have mixed feelings but will try anything to find what works.